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I’m sure there are multiple studies in existence stating people prefer images over text. We’re rapidly becoming a society of visual learners and the infographic boom is only expediting the change. Here is a graphic I created to inform our custom bobblehead audience about the upcoming deadline for Christmas orders. I could’ve just tweeted out some text or post the info on Facebook but why not spice it up a little? After all, it is the holiday season. Let’s be festive (studies also show image posts on Facebook have a greater click-through rate)!

The first image was created for our newsletter with a clear call to action. The second is for Twitter and Facebook and is optimized as such.

For an e-commerce company, Cyber Monday is a big deal. This past Monday was my first Cyber Monday experience with Bobbleheads.com and it was a rousing success. However, the real results of this two-pronged attack may not even be realized until early 2014. Why is that you ask? Allow me to explain…

Reasoning: We’re always looking to get rid of our standard retail bobbleheads like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson etc. On the other hand, we’re more than busy enough (more importantly the factory is busy enough) with custom bobblehead orders this time of year for Christmas. Unfortunately, we experience a huge drop in custom business early in the new year. This gift card serves as a way to spur Q1 2014 sales. Aside from receiving the e-gift card via email, Cyber Monday customers will also receive a scheduled follow-up email on January 1st reminding them to take advantage of the discount. Most people have January 1st off anyways and they’re looking for something to do. Why not encourage them to build their own bobblehead? The promotion kills two birds with one stone.

Marketing/Promotion Channels:

Social media posts on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and Tumblr.

Blog post on the Bobblehead Blog.

Press release announcing promotion.

Homepage highlight graphics and separate landing pages for both Bobbleheads.com and CustomBobbleheads.com.

Email newsletters sent to both customer lists early Monday morning announcing the promotion.

Compared to Cyber Monday 2012, here are the results:

Bobbleheads.com ORDERSUP 39%

Bobbleheads.com REVENUE UP 14%

Again, the real goal here is improving Q1 2014 custom bobblehead sales. That’s where the real revenue exists. Time will tell but we’ve planted the seed for a prosperous 2014!

It all began Wednesday morning, November 20, 2013. While performing my normal search routine for any and all bobblehead-related content, I came across a Forbes article titled “PBS: Video Of Einstein Bobblehead Assaulting Marie Curie Is Not Okay.” Knowing that Einstein is one of our most popular bobbleheads, I decided to check the video to see if it was in fact our bobble and sure enough it was the Royal Bobbles Einstein.

I hopped on Twitter and Social Mention to find out if the article had gained any traction. After a quick search using the keyword phrase “Einstein bobblehead,” I discovered the social media outrage to be at a fever pitch. Bobbleheads.com had nothing to do with the video in question (which has since been pulled off of YouTube) but I felt it was important to address the matter via Twitter. A couple of back and forth replies from the Twitterverse led to a realization they’re simply weren’t enough bobbleheads of female scientists in existence. Demand is going to generate supply so, sensing an opportunity, I asked the question on Twitter:

Which female scientists would you like to see become bobbleheads?

Several powerful influencers in the Twitter science community, including the author of the Forbes article, stepped up for the cause and pushed the question out to their thousands of followers. Replies, mentions, and retweets began rolling in by the hundreds. We received close to 100 female scientist bobblehead nominees. Again, sensing the momentum of this movement and not wanting to lose the spark, I compiled the results in an Excel spreadsheet and tallied the results Thursday morning. I took the 7 most popular lady scientists and created a poll for our website using PollDaddy. The poll was placed on a newly created landing page too. Once the landing page and poll were tested, I shared a link to the page with those powerful influencers on Twitter who I had collaborated with the day prior. Again, they did an outstanding job of spreading the word.

The poll was posted around 1:00 PM EST Thursday November 21, 2013. Using Google Analytics real-time analytics feature, I was able to monitor the site and page visits as the afternoon progressed. HootSuite also enabled me to engage with the hundreds of questions and comments pouring onto our timeline. Participants were very appreciative of the timely responses and interaction. By midnight, the numbers were already staggering. Granted, the poll and landing page had only been in existence for 11 hours but here’s a snapshot of the results:

Total Website Visits for Bobbleheads.com on 11/21/2013: 3,406*

Visits via Social Referral: 1,730*

Twitter Referrals: 1,228*

Facebook Referrals: 306*

Tumblr Referrals: 185*

Poll Votes: 1,100+

*Bobbleheads.com Single Day Record

These visits resulted in a sales boost for our retail and custom bobblehead products. However, the best part of this adventure has been fan interaction and engagement. Who knew before Wednesday there was such demand for bobbleheads of famous female scientists. We now have ideas for a brand new product line backed by enormous consumer demand. These events really speak to the power of social media. When you’re able to ask the right questions AND listen to the people, magic can happen.

These promotional graphics were created using version CS6 of Adobe Photoshop. They have been used in email newsletters and on social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Google Plus.

People consume content in a variety of ways. This process I developed (I’m probably not the first) takes one piece of content and converts it for use on different platforms. In this case, it helps build your blog, SlideShare profile, and YouTube channel. Follow the evolution here:

Blog Post

*This article was originally posted to the Bobblehead Blog on September 6, 2013. | View Post

The Los Angeles Dodgers are hitting homeruns left and right with their bobblehead promotions. Last week everyone was talking about the RickMonday ‘flag saving’ bobblehead giveaway. This week, the club has announced a new promotion associated with Magic Johnson Bobblehead Night coming up on September 12th against the Giants. They’re calling it the “#MeetMagic Scavenger Hunt.”

Here are the details for the contest from the Dodgers website:

Want to meet sports legend, and Dodgers owner, Magic Johnson? Here’s your chance! Each day at 2 pm, @Dodgers will release clues on Twitter about the location of hidden Magic Johnson Bobbleheads across Southern California. Be the first to arrive at the spot and correctly answer a trivia question, and you could win two suite tickets to the game and a meet and greet with Magic Johnson. Participants must follow @Dodgers on Twitter in order to be eligible to win.

This promotional contest is a win on so many levels. First, it plays off the skyrocketing popularity of bobblehead giveaways. Second, it does a great job of engaging fans through social media by releasing clues on Twitter. Finally, the Dodgers are spreading the wealth locally. By hiding an autographed Magic Johnson at seven different southern California locales over a seven day period, they’re getting community establishments involved and stimulating the local economy. This isn’t just a Dodgers promotion; it’s now a community promotion. It’s a smart, benevolent move by the organization.

Companies should take advantage of this marketing blueprint that emphasizes custom bobbleheads, social media promotion, and community outreach. Whether you’re part of a global corporation or small business, two primary marketing goals are audience growth and engagement. The Dodgers bobblehead promotion accomplishes both of those objectives in a fun and entertaining way. Be creative and think outside the box. The “Bobblehead Hunt” concept works well for local promotions, in-store contests, tradeshows, company retreats, and more.

Right now you’re probably thinking:

My company doesn’t have the same lofty status and enormous following of a major league baseball team.

My company doesn’t have an iconic mascot or famous employee whose custom bobblehead would be recognized outside the office.

If this is the case, consider sponsoring a bobblehead for local teams or famous personalities. For example, Keck Medical Center of USC is sponsoring Magic Johnson Bobblehead Night. It’s practically the equivalent of a celebrity endorsement. Corporate-sponsored custom bobbleheads represent an excellent branding opportunity. Theses figures, including your company’s logo and message, will end up on the bookshelves, mantles, and office desks of decision makers. Think of it as free promotion for your products or services on prime advertising real estate.